Bob Vila Radio: Kitchen Composting

Composting’s a great idea: it helps your garden thrive and keeps valuable organic waste out of landfills. But once you’ve made the decision to compost, you’ll need some tidy, odor-free ways to collect those kitchen scraps.

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Listen to BOB VILA ON KITCHEN COMPOSTING or read the text below:

One common option is to keep a small container nearby – a coffee can or pail — to hold your compostable waste until you’re ready to take it out. But if you don’t empty the container often, you can end up with odors or even flies in your kitchen.

A compost crock for the countertop is a step up from the coffee-can solution. Available in many materials, including stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, and wood, a compost crock has a lid—often equipped with a charcoal filter—to hold down odors. Some have removable liners to make them easier to empty and clean. Biodegradable compost crock liners, sold in many different sizes, let you toss your scraps, bag and all, onto your compost pile.

If you want to keep your compost scraps out of sight, look for bins that attach to the inside of a cabinet door. Or, if you have a good-size drawer below your cutting board, outfit it with a small lidded tray to collect scraps.

Bob Vila Radio is a newly launched daily radio spot carried on more than 75 stations around the country (and growing). You can get your daily dose here, by listening to—or reading—Bob’s 60-second home improvement radio tip of the day.